quagmire

Meanings

• noun

  A situation from which it is difficult to extract oneself; a muddy or quaggy place.

• noun

  A state of confusion or uncertainty.

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Pronunciation

1. 
   
   
   
   Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75857485"

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Synonyms

marsh , marshland , mire , quag

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with quagmire
pyre , quire , hire , tire

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Variants

List of all variants of quagmire that leads to same result
quagmire , quagmires

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

Middle English: from quag, quaggy + mire.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The term 'quagmire' was first used in print in the 15th century.

2. Quagmire is also the name of a breed of horse originating from Ireland.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. mire: A soft, wet, and sticky ground or soil.

2. quagga: An extinct subspecies of zebra, characterized by its brown stripes and quagmire-like coat.

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Quotes

Quotes by authors and personalities

1. That was six months ago, when the Defense secretary laughingly dismissed the idea that Iraq was, or could turn into, a "quagmire". But as Rumsfeld sat down last Friday morning to face Sen. John McCain, who spent six years in a Vietnamese prison, no one was laughing.

   - Michael Hirsh et al.,{it}Newsweek{/it},17 Nov. 2003

2. State involvement will create a vast bioethical "quagmire". Even if everyone magically agrees that improving a child's memory is as valid as avoiding dyslexia, there will still be things taxpayers aren't ready to pay for—genes of unproven benefit, say, or alterations whose downsides may exceed the upside.

   - Robert Wright,{it}Time{/it},11 Jan.1999

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

Quagmire has been used as a metaphor for complex and confusing situations in literature and politics. For instance, in Joseph Conrad's novel 'Heart of Darkness', the term 'quagmire' is used to describe the dense jungle and the moral confusion that ensues.

How to Memorize "quagmire"

1. visualize
   

   - Imagine a muddy swamp or bog that is difficult to navigate. Visualize yourself trying to extract your foot from the mud, but it keeps sinking in further.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word 'quagmire' with complex situations or problems that are difficult to solve.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic using the first letter of each word in the definition: Q - Quag, M - Mire, I - In, R - Resulting, a - a situation, and D - difficult to extract oneself.

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